Coming off a bye week, the Vanderbilt Commodores are set to host fourth-ranked LSU on Saturday morning.
To get an inside look at LSU, the Vanderbilt Hustler caught up with Brandon Adam, the deputy sports editor of LSU’s student newspaper, The Reveille, to talk about the Tigers and get some insight into this weekend’s upcoming matchup.
Max Schneider: How is head coach Ed Orgeron preparing for this game?
Brandon Adam: He’s still trying to get LSU to play a complete game from start to finish. The offense has been fantastic all three games, but the defense has been up and done. How to sort that out while missing three of the top four defensive linemen and rushers in your front seven is likely what’s on his mind.
MS: This LSU offense looks significantly different than it has in years past. What makes this spread offense so hard to stop?
BA: LSU’s wide receivers are proving they’re in a similar stratosphere as Alabama. While the Tigers don’t have anyone as good as Jerry Jeudy, the trio of Justin Jefferson, Terrace Marshall and Ja’Marr Chase makes it impossible for defenses to keep the backend covered. That’s the primary difference between the current offense and previous offense. LSU is now making defenses defend the entirety of the field instead of just defending the running back between the hashes and wide receivers outside the numbers.
MS: Vanderbilt has three high-level playmakers in Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Kalija Lipscomb and Jared Pinkney. How do you think Dave Aranda will look to limit those guys defensively?
BA: Of those three players, I think Lipscomb is the best, but LSU will have the easiest time limiting him with either Derek Stingley or Kristian Fulton at cornerback. LSU’s been awful at covering running backs so far this season, and they haven’t faced a tight end like Pinkney yet. So I’m curious to see how LSU adjusts to defend those two and what Vanderbilt does to get them in space.
MS: Besides Burrow, who’s the guy Vanderbilt needs to keep in check most if they want to compete in this game?
BA: LSU has too many playmakers on offense to just name one guy because they have about six or seven players who can win one-on-ones. It’s not as easy as keying on one skill player. To disrupt LSU’s offense, Vanderbilt will have to get consistent pressure on Burrow every single drive. If they can do that, Vanderbilt may be able to keep it close for a short time.
MS: Score prediction?
BA: LSU 49, Vanderbilt 17
